For many, winning the lottery is the ultimate dream — a moment that sparks fantasies of luxury, freedom, and endless possibilities. It’s easy to get swept up imagining the extravagant ways to spend the money.
It’s the kind of surprise no one truly expects but everyone secretly hopes for.
However, for one young couple, their dream turned into a bitter disappointment.
Rachel Kennedy and Liam McCrohan, aged 19 and 21 at the time, thought they had hit the jackpot with a staggering £182 million ($216 million) EuroMillions win.
“I opened the app and it said ‘Winning Match,’ and I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’ve won,’” Kennedy told The Sun. “I called Liam and my mum into the room, and they were just as shocked as I was.”
The couple from Hertfordshire had been playing the same set of numbers for weeks. Once they saw the message, they began fantasizing about how they’d spend their fortune.
But the celebration was short-lived.
Kennedy, who was studying business at university, soon learned that the ticket hadn’t actually been purchased because her bank account didn’t have sufficient funds at the time.
“I called the helpline thinking I’d just become a multi-millionaire, but they told me, ‘Yes, those are the winning numbers — but the payment for the ticket didn’t go through,’” she explained.
“I felt on top of the world for a moment, but when reality hit, Liam actually took it worse than I did.”
After the crushing news, McCrohan, a university economics student, posted on X (formerly Twitter): “When your Mrs decides not to play the EuroMillions… and all 7 of her usual numbers come up.”
Kennedy, however, chose to remain silent on social media, admitting she was too embarrassed to post about the ordeal. “We really do have the worst luck,” she said. McCrohan added, “She stayed calm, but in my head, I had already spent the money. I was absolutely heartbroken when the guy on the phone said the ticket wasn’t bought.”
In response, Camelot — the operator of the UK National Lottery — sent the couple a good luck message and expressed hope they’d be early to buy a ticket next time.
Kennedy has since changed her lottery numbers — though one can only hope the old ones don’t come up again.
Unfortunately, their story isn’t unique. Other couples have also faced drama surrounding lottery wins.
Michael Cartlidge and Charlotte Cox, for example, were thrust into a dispute over a £1 million scratchcard prize following their breakup.
The pair had bought the card while they were still together, but once they split, questions arose over who was entitled to the winnings. Cox had paid for the ticket and scratched it, leading her to claim she was the rightful owner.
Cartlidge disagreed, arguing that he had the idea to buy the ticket and even tried to send Cox the money to cover the cost. “I was in shock,” he said. “I can admit we wouldn’t have gotten the ticket without Charlotte, but she wouldn’t have gotten it without me either. I didn’t have my card, so I used my Halifax app to transfer the money. I even showed her on my phone. You can see it on the shop’s CCTV, which Camelot has.”
A source close to Cox disputed Cartlidge’s claim, saying: “Mike has no right to this money. He isn’t a nice person. Charlotte bought and scratched the ticket — it’s hers. End of story.”
They added, “That £1 million has brought nothing but misery.”
A spokesperson for Lotto confirmed to The Sun that under National Lottery Scratchcard rules, only one person can claim a prize: the one whose name and address is written on the back of the ticket.
They stated, “This rule is clearly communicated to all claimants. If someone decides to share the winnings afterward — for example, with members of a syndicate — we always advise creating a formal legal agreement. Without one, any disputes must be resolved privately.”
